“How can you frighten a man whose hunger is not only in his own cramped stomach but in the wretched bellies of his children? You can’t scare him—he has known a fear beyond every other.” - John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath

http://www.economist.com/node/17722932?story_id=17722932&CFID=156902477&CFTOKEN=11930683

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Journey Through Bethlehem

So I was thinking about the Bethlehem event we took the girls from the Walk to this past Friday and how one thing really stood out to me at the end of that night. I had enjoyed the whole event (aside from waiting an hour or so to go on the "journey"), visiting the different booths of people and learning more about Bethlehem during the time of Jesus. People were dressed up and in character, with even some animals present like sheep, goats, donkeys and a camel. It was amusing to watch the girls laugh and snicker as the Roman guards played their part of being total jerks to everyone who came in. I liked how our guide, though nervous and a little fumbling over his lines, was informative and genuine in his description and presentation of the various scenes. When we came to the very end, after having seen the townspeople, the shops, the inn, the Magi, and baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph, there was a designated space given to explain why Jesus came to earth in the first place. Three large crosses were standing there, with the center one slightly larger and higher than the other two, with a red ribbon draping and a crown of thorns placed on it. The guide shared the gospel with us and something he said particularly caught my attention. He stressed how Jesus is the only way to have our sins forgiven. He asked us, "do you think that God would have sacrificed his only Son if there had been any other way to take away our sin?" The girls responded no. I thought about this and let it continue to strike me because I have been in situations where this very pertinent truth about our Creator is not fully grasped or appreciated. We have the propensity to so easily be fooled and led astray, especially when it comes to matters of theology and right-thinking about our Lord and Savior. There are people in my life, in my own community of believers even, that do not seem to recognize this fact about God: God the Father sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to suffer unimaginable pain and torment, and to die the worst sinner's death upon a Roman cross. He did this because he deeply loves us and desires for us to give our sin to Him in exchange for new and everlasting life. Jesus was the most humble, the most compassionate, the most gracious and the most sacrificial person to ever live here. He willingly accepted to be born as a baby into this world and live a life of servanthood to his Father and humanity. So when the guide asked us, "do you believe that God would send his only son to die for our sins if there had been any other way?" it made me think of how tremendously sacrificial and loving our God really is. One will never appreciate the magnitude of what Christ did for us if they continue to believe that there are other ways to God. Because if you think about it, if God sent Jesus to die in our place when there had been any other way to reconcile his creation to Himself, then he would cease to be a good and loving Father. He would be sacrificing a perfect Son for no reason if there were other options available. If Judaic law, Buddhist philosophy, Hindu mythology, Islamic religion, pagan spirituality, etc. etc. were other ways to know God, then it would make little sense for God to sacrifice his only Son for us. But he did. And it is now on us to acknowledge this great gift and to accept it wholeheartedly, realizing that Jesus is indeed the only way to have our sins forgiven and for us to intimitely know the Father. Our middle school girls understood that and did not have to hesitate or wonder about the question posed to them. But it seems as though, as you grow up, the clarity and obviousness of such answers begin to subside. We take classes in world religions or become influenced by nonbelieving friends, and the once solid truth of Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life just doesn't seem to be as compelling as it once was. We cheapen the gospel and abandon his Word, preferring to create our own versions of Christianity that accommodates the culture and our own personal philosophies. We lose sight of God's message to the world and God's means by which it was proclaimed - Jesus Christ, and him crucified. It is important what we believe about God because it informs how we live, how we treat others, and how we regard our Maker. The moment we start to give in to the preponderances of other ways to access God and receive his grace and mercy, is the moment we begin to denigrate the person of Jesus Christ. To say that someone or something is just as valid in helping us build a relationship with God, blasphemes against Him. There is a reason why the most important command to God's people is to love Him with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. This is to protect against wicked idolatry that seeks to take the place of the true Lord over our lives. My prayer is to never forget the sacrifice God made for me, and the reason why he did so. I also pray that others (especially believers) remember who this Jesus is, how he saved them, how he transformed their lives, and how he alone is the only one who can mediate a relationship between us and the Father. Would God remain the treasured center of our lives and the foundation of our joy forever and ever.

Rethinking 'Missional': Reconciling the Mission of God and the Mission of the Church

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/conference-messages/rethinking-missional-reconciling-the-mission-of-god-and-the-mission-of-the-church

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

Does the world give you trouble? Does Jesus give you peace? We are like foreigners in a strange land that is not our home. Jesus returned to the Father because this world was his mission field, not his home. Let us too not get so comfortable that we would rather stay.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully
and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths
of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

- Psalm 139:13-16

Humanity is given dignity and intrinsic worth because rather than being the product of some evolutionary process, they have actually been lovingly and meticulously made by their Father in heaven. Who else gives human beings so much value? What philosophical notion or ideological principle declares that we have any significance above the rest of creation? Humanists fight for justice but have no foundation or legitimacy without having to invoke what God has already made clear to us. Yet they deny Him. We intuitively know that God's Word is true, but we want it on our own terms. We want to cry out, "No discrimination due to race!" believing that all people are created equal and in the same breath demand "Choice for women!" turning our faces from the reality that life has in fact begun at conception.

Our world is so fallen it is disturbing. We think of new ways to destroy ourselves, insisting that progress is occurring and that we are simply moving in the direction of modernity. When new technologies are devised and available, the only logical choice is to embrace them. Rarely are consequences considered or critical examination made. We are the shapers of our own destinies, and we know what is best for ourselves. Or so we keep telling ourselves with each succeeding generation. I sometimes wonder how God can put up with all the unrepentant sin. At least as a nation I do not see how things are ever going to permanently change. I am disheartened and discouraged, knowing that the words of Jeremiah still ring true:

"My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water."
- Jeremiah 2:13

"Long ago you broke off your yoke
and tore off your bonds;
you said, 'I will not serve you!'
- Jeremiah 2:20

"How can you say, 'I am not defiled;
I have not run after the Baals'?
See how you behaved in the valley;
consider what you have done.
- Jeremiah 2:23

"They say to wood, 'You are my father,'
and to stone, 'You gave me birth.
They have turned their backs to me
and not their faces;
yet when they are in trouble, they say,
'Come and save us!'
- Jeremiah 2:27

"You of this generation, consider the word of the Lord:
Why do my people say, 'We are free to roam;
we will come to you no more"?

you say, 'I am innocent;
he is not angry with me.'
But I will pass judgment on you
because you say, 'I have not sinned.'
- Jeremiah 2:31,35

Then I begin to see a glimpse of why God is patient with his depraved creation. Why it is that he continues to give undeserved warnings to those who continue to sin against him.

Go proclaim this message toward the north: '' 'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the Lord, 'I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful,' declares the Lord, 'I will not be angry forever.Only acknowledge your guilt - you have rebelled against the Lord your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,' " declares the Lord. - Jeremiah 3:12-13

I wonder if there will there be a day when the spiritually blinded and enslaved finally say,

"Yes, we will come to you, for you are the Lord our God. Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills and mountains is a deception; surely in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. From our youth shameful gods have consumed the fruits of our fathers' labor - their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters. Let us lie down in our shame, and let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the Lord our God, both we and our fathers; from our youth till this day we have not obeyed the Lord our God." - Jeremiah 3:22-25

The hope of Jesus is all that can bring about this kind of heartfelt conversion. The truth and life of Jesus, heard and received, is the only way to achieve unveiling of eyes and softening of hearts. People actively resist and ignore now, but there will be day when these are no longer options. He will not be mocked or trivialized, and his decrees like the sanctity of every human life will not be manipulated or tossed aside at whim. There will be justice! Praise the Lord for who He is and for the way he has loved us despite the unlovely quality about us. Praise the Father for sending his Son and Jesus for making atonement for our sins. Evil holds this world hostage - its systems, its laws, its leaders, its citizens. But thanks be to God that the Enemy has not any hold over the crucified and risen King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Jesus, would you come to those who desperately need you, to those who have yet to meet you. To those who foolishly destroy not only their own lives, but those around them, and in some cases within their own bodies.

Remind us all that YOU created our inmost being. YOU knit us together in our mother's womb. YOU have made us, and we are the works of YOUR hands, O God. Forgive those who reject your commands and live in shameless disobedience, blaspheming your name and reveling in sin. Hasten to convict our hearts so that we may be forever changed. Turn our faces back to you, Lord, and show us the folly of our ways. Let us not only know the truth, but speak out in boldness and in faith. May your Spirit take control of our lives and use us for the will of He who breathed life into us. Amen.

Finished watching 6-part series, God in America

http://www.pbs.org/godinamerica/view/

An educational survey of religious life and influences in America. Role of Christianity in particular. Makes me want to inquire more about key figures like John Winthrop, Anne Hutchinson, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, William Jennings Bryan, Billy Graham, Martin Luther King Jr. and others. This country has significantly changed over time, and it is therefore essential to know the historical factors that can explain the present religious landscape we see today. The nation's roots in Christianity may sometimes be overemphasized by conservatives, but there is truth to be found there nonetheless. It has gone astray and only glimpses of the faithful have survived to give America the chance to respond once again to God. It is comforting at some level to know that the destiny of this nation ultimately rests solely in His hands and not in our own (even to the delusion of most of its citizens).

Matt Chandler - 7 Miles (Sermon Jam) from will on Vimeo.

I like how this is comedic but also very true. There really are so many lies in circulation, especially in academia, that don't line up with the facts or even basic logic and science. People don't know what to do with this God-Man Jesus who defies their explanations and literally "takes a 7 mile jaunt to Emmaus" This video gave me chills when it described the utter torture and beating inflicted upon our God. The gravity of that always hits me and weighs down upon me as I remember that we are to blame. Blood, too, was and is on my hands. We killed God the Son, but God the Father rose him up in glory and honor for the whole world to see. He went from weakness and suffering to fullness and majestic King. Humanity doesn't know what to do with this knowledge, so they suppress it and attempt to explain it away with crafty lies disguised as truth. But those who follow this slain Lamb can see through the foolishness, reminding others that there is indeed another story or explanation to consider. Some do so in ways that are condemning and mean, but many exist who actually speak up humbly on behalf of their Savior that is largely ignored and mocked. I like Chandler's way of approaching this passage of Scripture and engaging the scoffers and scholarly opponents of Christ, with a demeanor that is very Dane Cook-like if I can put it that way. It's just great to see some redeemed humor and creativity being used for God's kingdom and glory. It's awesome :)

Picture of Lake Atitlan, San Pedro, Guatemala

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

O Lord my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

He wraps himself in light as with a garment;

he stretches out the heavens like a tent

and lays the beams of his upper chambers

on their waters.

He makes the clouds his chariot

and rides on the wings of the wind.

He makes winds his messengers,

flames of fire his servants.

He set the earth on its foundations;

it can never be moved.

You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

the waters stood above the mountains.

But at your rebuke the waters fled,

at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;

they flowed over the mountains,

they went down into the valleys,

to the place you assigned for them.

You set a boundary they cannot cross;

never again will they cover the earth.

He makes springs pour water into the ravines;

it flows between the mountains.

They give water to all the beasts of the field;

the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

The birds of the air nest by the waters;

they sing among the branches.

He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;

the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.

He makes grass grow for the cattle,

and plants for man to cultivate--

bringing forth food from the earth:

wine that gladdens the heart of man,

oil to make his face shine,

and bread that sustains his heart.

The trees of the Lord are well watered,

the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

There the birds make their nests;

the stork has its home in the pine trees.

The high mountains belong to the wild goats;

the crags are a refuge for the coneys.

The moon marks off the seasons,

and the sun knows when to go down.

You bring darkness, it becomes night,

and all the beasts of the forest prowl.

The lions roar for their prey

and seek their food from God.

The sun rises, and they steal away;

they return and lie down in their dens.

Then man goes out to his work,

to his labor until evening.

How many are your works, O Lord!

In wisdom you made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.

There is the sea, vast and spacious,

teeming with creatures beyond number--

living things both large and small.

There the ships go to and fro,

and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

These all look to you

to give them their food at the proper time.

When you give it to them,

they gather it up;

when you open your hand,

they are satisfied with good things.

When you hide your face,

they are terrified;

when you take away their breath,

they die and return to dust.

When you send your Spirit,

they are created,

and you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

may the Lord rejoice in his works--

he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,

who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,

as I rejoice in the Lord.

But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Praise the Lord.

-- Psalm 104

Traveling to places like this in Guatemala was like seeing Scripture come alive. To think that those mountains, those clouds, those trees and that lake were made through the wisdom and power of the living God. I rejoice at this marvelous creation. At this snapshot in time that Jesus shared with me. Our God is an ingenius creator and artist of life. All that we see has been conceived by his divine mind and imagination. It pleased him so to have such amazing visual beauties for the people of this world to enjoy and stand in awe of. I certainly stood in awe and wonder as I gazed upon the actual landscapes and scenery that gifted painters oftentimes depict in their works. There were many "Guatemalan moments" where the three of us would just stare off into the horizon, letting the vastness of it all wash over us. One thing that I learned about God from this trip is his unparalleled creativity that can really just captivate a person and render them not just speechless, but breathless. It was a joy to have the opportunity to simply revel in the beauty of Guatemala, a country that despite war, poverty, pollution and adversity has and ever will possess the great gift of its natural beauties which have been crafted and formed by the One and Only. They may not have the riches that this world seeks after with meaningless fury, but they do have this wonderful creation that speaks to them daily of the true riches that come from the Father alone. I pray for its preservation, for its inhabitants, for its wildlife and for its persistence. For Jesus to continue painting these incredible masterpieces into our lives and hearts. That when we look upon them, we would just crumble beneath his awesome power, splendor and supreme majesty. PRAISE GOD! PRAISE HIM! PRAISE THE ONE who by HIS WORD the whole world was made and everything in it! Jesus, this picture is but the smallest glimpse of what your great works are. Thank you for the chance to just see it with these two eyes of mine. Keep revealing yourself to me through your creation and your Word, opening my eyes to the immense beauty that you have established here as well. Amen.

The same Spirit that rose Christ from the grave dwells in us. The mystery of that truth will always fascinate me. I am thankful to the Lord for setting his people apart from this world and giving them his instructive spirit. Where scholars of today may heap up knowledge and pride themselves on high IQs, don't you just love how this simply does not impress Jesus? It is his Spirit that proclaims truth and reveals a kind of knowledge and wisdom that only his children get to acquire. There is something about God's secrecy and favor that I really appreciate. He doesn't allow those who are not in Him to receive insider information, but reserves it for those who love Him. There is great intimacy in that, much like between a wife and husband or parent and child. I have peace within and joy without, knowing that my reading of Scripture and prayer with the Father is not in vain. He has saved me from a life of obscurities, ambiguities, false teachings and self-idolatry. By saying yes to Jesus it becomes possible for us to actually know what he is saying to us. We don't have to continue walking around in darkness, with eyes blinded and ears closed. It may be tempting to stray from his Word and think for ourselves, putting out of our minds what he has spoken or made known to us. But it is God's heart, as reflected in John's words, that we would come to mature in Christ and remain devoted to him:

"I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one." - 1 John 2:14

My prayer for the church (myself included) is that we would persevere in our faith, remembering how we too were mere children, immature and new to what it means to follow Jesus. But as we have grown up in Christ, becoming young men (and women) who have been anointed by his Holy Spirit, my hope is an ever deepening knowledge of who God is. It does not stop there, however:

"See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father." - 1 John 2:24

What does it mean to "remain" in the Son and in the Father? How do we truly abide in them? Is it not through constant love, trust, prayer, obedience and submission to His will for our lives? Another mind-boggling mystery, this idea of I in Him and He in me. I come to understand it better when I factor in God's third personality - His Spirit.

"But you have an anointing from the Holy One and all of you know the truth...
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you...
But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit - just as it has taught you, remain in him." - 1 John 2:20,27

God the Father made us and loves us as his sons and daughters. Jesus the Son dwelled among us, revealing to us who God is and making it possible for us to be reconciled to Him. God the Spirit has likewise been sent to us as a Counselor, reminding us of Christ's teachings and convicting us of sin so that this reconciled relationship with the Father endures forever.

Put in this perspective, I can gain a better grasp of what this "remaining in him" looks like. As Jesus is mediator between us and God the Father, the Holy Spirit is our helper in authentically following Jesus and allowing him to more fully enter our hearts and shape our person. I look forward to this time of study, prayer and listening to God's voice as revealed through his Word. I anticipate much learning and humbly hope for his wisdom to be bestowed upon me, wisdom that does not come from this world or its leaders, but from God alone, who is pleased to give freely to those who ask and seek after him whole-heartedly.

Lord Jesus, make yourself known to me with greater clarity, so that I will imitate you and instruct others through the life I live in submission to your will. Protect me from the inclination to seek after the world and its false hopes and empty promises. Renew in me a mind that is preoccupied by thoughts of you, your kingdom, your words and your example. Would I not just give credence to you and your teachings when I happen to sit and meditate on your Word, but that I would live out each day as though I really were walking right beside you, hand in hand. Help me to believe and trust the Spirit you have sent, heeding its advice and giving honor to your name. May this redeemed life keep being redeemed, Jesus, so that it can be used to give you glory and help bring others into relationship with you through God's grace. Amen.

The Word was with God in the Beginning

Worship - knowing the Logos and being speechless before Him, in complete awe

Identity - seeking this in Jesus and not in a myriad of brands

Community - as the Triune God has this, we too are offered the possibility of loving each other in fullness and submission

Mission - bringing people into the light, viewing them not as adversaries but just in darkness and misunderstanding

We were not only made by God, but for Him. Humanity and the world were created through his Word as a gift.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." - John 1:1-5

I like John's prologue and approach, reaching the furthest back to explain this man who was our Messiah and Lord. It is not possible to completely comprehend this trinitarian God, but in these few verses we can at least get a sense of what it may mean. Jesus did not just walk this earth, suffer death and raise from the grave for us. He is God and existed in the very beginning. He is the creator of all things, the reconciler for all things, the wholeness that our hearts crave and the brilliant light of truth and love that combats darkness. Somehow, the Father, Son, and Spirit are one in unity, yet three in personality. I wish I could wrap my head around such an irrationality, this transcendent God of ours. He is so distinct from us and cannot be confined to our knowledge of physics and logic. I love how John starts out his account with the bold truth of Jesus as God.

When I listened to Brian talk about one's identity being found in substitutes for God, in brands of many kinds, all hopelessly inadequate and incomplete, I thought about how I'm struggling to find out whom I really am in Christ. It's a temptation to replace the intimacy of knowing Jesus with an endless array of consumeristic products, with a bunch of empty things that mean absolutely nothing. I've gotten over the attachment to material objects, thank the Lord, but there are other ways of diverting one's attention from the discovery of who they are in the body of Christ. It is true that we form clicks and clubs around similar interests (I like his Mac example) and let certain things of this world or ideologies of our society shape who we are. There is this battle between light and darkness; Jesus is the active force shining into that void of nothingness. He's been misunderstood and misrepresented. People don't know who they are because they don't know who made them. They are oblivious to the reality that they are, in fact, a gift from our Father to his Son Jesus. Imagine knowing the full extent of that truth. Your life, from the moment of conception in the womb, was the beginning of a treasure to be loved by the Creator God, three in one. I guess sometimes I forget how precious we are to Jesus. He's patient and kind with us because he loves us. He wants to know us and be known by us. This passage reiterates the essence and origin of life in the person of Jesus. We all want to live, grow, learn, excel, be loved and devote ourselves to something. God is who we were made for, who we will always be searching for, following after until that transforming moment comes.

"I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side." - Psalm 3:5-6

"How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him.......Many are asking, 'Who can show us any good?' Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound." - Psalm 4:2-3, 6-7

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" - Psalm 8:3-4